Climate extremes: Extreme heat
Temperatures in the Australian outback - the central desert area of Australia - can often exceed 50 °C for the summer months. New houses are sometimes specifically situated towards the east or west, to avoid the summer sun. Their roofs are insulated to stop heat getting in, and their wood is specially treated to resist the heat. Due to the strength of the sun over this part of the world, Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. Since 1981, there has been an official campaign by the Australian government to encourage Australians to protect their skin from the sun. Forest fires are another result of consistently high temperatures. These have become more and more common in the past few years, even happening around the city of Sydney.
